Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
Implantation using solid aluminum iodide (ALI3) for producing atomic aluminum ions and in situ cleaning of aluminum iodide and associated by-products

Abstract:

An ion implantation system is provided having an ion source configured to form an ion beam from aluminum iodide. A beamline assembly selectively transports the ion beam to an end station configured to accept the ion beam for implantation of aluminum ions into a workpiece. The ion source has a solid-state material source having aluminum iodide in a solid form. A solid source vaporizer vaporizes the aluminum iodide, defining gaseous aluminum iodide. An arc chamber forms a plasma from the gaseous aluminum iodide, where arc current from a power supply is configured to dissociate aluminum ions from the aluminum iodide. One or more extraction electrodes extract the ion beam from the arc chamber. A water vapor source further introduces water to react residual aluminum iodide to form hydroiodic acid, where the residual aluminum iodide and hydroiodic acid is evacuated from the system.